Bottling-machine.



A. WELUNG.

BOTTLING MACHiNE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1914.

1,232,137w Patented July 3,1917.

VVITNESEEGEI INVENTIIIFQI vM M ATTORNEY.

ALVIN WELLING, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

BOTTLING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed November 3, 1914. Serial No. 870,145.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN VVELLING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of (lovingtomin the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bottling- Machines, of which the following is a speci- .lication.

This invention has relation to bottlingmachines or, more particularly speaking, to that part of a bottling-machine used in successively or intermittently feeding. the respective bottles up to the filling and capping devices in an upper cross-head of the maohine. The object of the invention is to provide means to. compensate for the loss in wear and tear'of the bottle-dial operating parts that include the usual ratchetwheel, pawl, lever and cam devices ordinarily inclosedin the lower or supporting part of the frame beneath the working platform or table (on which the bottles are set or placed in upright position) so that they can not be readily or conveniently reached for inspection or repairs without dismantling the said lower part of the machine that deprives the use of the machine for considerable time. Heretofore, the wear and tear in the said lower working parts and in the bottle dial itself have caused lack of control in accurately locating and timing the said bottle-dial, it being the purpose of the said ratchet and pawl mechanism, and especially of each stroke thereof, to positively locateand set in true vertical alinement each rim-opening or bottle holdercup of the dial under the center of the filling-head as it advances in the intermittent rotary movement of said dial. If said bottle holder-cup is not in true alinement or center it will cause strain on the adjacent parts of said filling-head and material loss in effecting air-tight joints when filling the bottles, and in the waste of the liquids to be placed in the bottles. The use of the machine and the saving of valuable time taken in overlooking and repairing it are material points accomplishedjby me in the application of my extremely simple and economical invention herein, the same being hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bottlingmachine in connection with which my invention is particularly adapted and shown, the

central part of the upper filler-head being shown in section, a part of the bottle-dial shown 111 section, and the mner or hidden lower ratchet-wheel shown in section, with parts of the lower supporting-frame broken away; Fig. 2, a plan showing the usual ratchet-and-pawl mechanism adapted to the intermittent rotation of the bottle-dial and its vertical shaft, the latter being shown in section; Fig. 3, a side elevation of my 1mproved special. form of coupling or clamping ring used in securing the bottle-dial on the upper end of said shaft; Fig. at, a plan view of the said coupling-ring seen in Fig. 3 but with the gripping-screw in place and showing the vertical shaft in section; Fig. 5, a central section of the said couplingring seen in Fig. 4:, taken along the open or split portion thereof and showing the gripping-screw in section; Fig. 6, a group elevation of the gripping-screw, that includes an end view of the shank and peculiar form of head with one fiat side to prevent turning; Fig. 7, a group elevation showing a side and front view of the nut used on said gripping-screw; Fig. 8, a side elevation of a convenient key used in operating the nut seen in Fig 7 Fig. 9, a fore-end view of the key seen in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10, a detached elevation showing my improved clamping-ring in position on p the vertical dial-shaft (but at right-angles to the position seen in Fig. l) and a side view of the table (broken off at its fore end), together with a section of the web of the dial, an elevation of the dial-hub, an elevation of the plunger-shaft that engages the hubsupport of the said table, and an elevation of the lower lugged cap-plate and a screw used on the top of the vertical shaft to secure the dial in removably-attached place for turning with said shaft.

1 indicates the lower supporting-leg or base portion of the machine in which is located the vertical shaft 2, the horizontal ratchet-wheel 3 keyed on said shaft, the spring-controlled pawl l, the pivoted lever 5 carried by the arm 6 and carrying at its outer end the cam-engaging roller 7, all as in general use in this class of machines. These parts are hidden within the supporting-leg portion of the machine and very difficult to reach for inspection and repairs,

wear and looseness that otherwise cause the dlal to rotate in a loose and defective manner and lessen the control of the operator in accurately timing or locating it so that the successive empty bottles carried thereby shall approach the centralopening in the filling and capping head of the machine.

The vertical shaft 2 extends upwardly from the base 1 through the immovable platform ortable 8 that is carried by a hub 9 properly connected with the base of the machine. The bottom of the table has a central hollow boss 9, and a duly fastened sleeve 10 is used on the shaft 2, contacting with the said boss 9, to prevent upward play or thrust of the shaft.

The bottle-dial 11 has a circular series of openings or bottomless cups 12 in its rim for the empty bottles and is provided with a central hub 13 having a web 14: that carries the said cupped rim as customary. The lower portion of the hub 13, however, is provided with a pair of radial notches or grooves 15 and the upper portion thereof with similar notches or grooves 16.

17 indicates a cap-plate having radial ribs or tongues 18 that engage the said notches or grooves 16 in the upper face of the dial-hub 13, and the center of the cap-plate is pierced to receive the shank of a vertical screw 19 thatenters a threaded socket in the top of the shaft 2 for securing the cap-plate in place, and the interlocking of the tongues 18 with the notches 16 duly couples thedial with the shaft at the top of the latter so as to be rotated by the latter in intermittingly advancing the empty bottles up to filling and capping position.

An auxiliary coupling-member or clamping-ring 20, however, is used by me in posi tively securing the dial on the shaft so that it maintains a constant place thereon for the accurate delivery of the successive empty bottles to the plunger 21 for the raising of said bottles to the filling and capping point 22 in the center of the upper cross-head 23 that is supported by means of the pillars 2 1, 24 at the rear part of the machine.

The coupling-member 20 forms the essential feature of the invention herein and is composed of a ring that is split at '25 and has laterally projecting lugs 26, 26 that are pierced to accommodate the-bolt 27, the latter having an outer head 28 and'a nut 29, and a lock-spring washer 30 being used beis used to operate it, such'key having lugs 32 that engage the grooves 29 in the convenient manner adapted thereby in handling the clamping-ring on the shaft 2. The clamping-ringhas a pair of radial tongues or ribs 33, 33 on its upper face and theyare suitably beveled so as to readily engage the grooves 15 in the bottom of the dial-hub 13 for the interlocking of the'clamping-ring with the dial.

The turning of the nut on the bolt 27 home with the key 31 draws the two lugs 26, 26 together so as to cause the ring 20 to firmly and tightly clamp or grip the shaft 2 when once the said dial is properly arranged on the said shaft to timely locate the successive bottles under the filling and capping devices of the machine, and to positively maintain such relation at all times, especially when there is any of the wear and looseness in the parts hereinbefore amply referred to, at which time a quick and easy horizontal, clamp-coupling split ring adapted to be loosely as well as firmly mounted on the shaft and having laterally-projecting pierced lugs at its split portion, ahorizontal. bolt having a nut and engaging said pierced lugs, a resilient washer on said bolt between the nut and one of. said lugs, vertically-extending means on the upper face of the split ring, and a horizontal bottle-dial on said shaft and having a grooved hub that is adapted to cooperate with said extending means on the split ring for interlocking the latter and said dial on said shaft.

ALVIN WELLING. Witnesses JO N ELIAs Jones, RAY W. CONWAY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, washingtoml). 0. i 

